“
PRESS RELEASE
As an exemplary sector-driven job training organization, Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC) was invited to attend President Obama's historic signing of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) into law on July 22, 2014 at the White House.
JARC's Executive Director, Guy Loudon, represented JARC at the signing and commented, "The overwhelming bipartisan support for the WIOA shows that skills training and workforce development are vital issues for business as well as workers and job seekers in our communities. The WIOA also seeks to align our national workforce efforts with demand and opportunity in the labor market. In this way it is another step in the right direction as we seek to build a workforce system that is relevant and high performing for all of our constituencies."
Since January, the President has been highlighting employer-driven training as a critical component for our country's continued economic growth. The Administration has called for employer-driven training across federal agencies and has profiled successful local efforts that he wants to see replicated throughout the country. JARC is honored to be one of the local efforts featured as a national model. JARC provides job training programs that target skills gaps in the manufacturing sector, such as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machinist and welder. Last year JARC's Careers in Manufacturing Program s (CMP) trained and placed 67 jobseekers in jobs at an average starting wage of $13.79/hour. Graduates experienced an average 11 percent first year wage increase, in comparison to the national average of 2.7 percent.
After 11 years of debate, WIOA reauthorizes the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the main source of federal funding for workforce development and job training. Loudon and JARC, as a member of the National Skills Coalition, have advocated for a change in federal funding to support sector partnerships, career pathways, and stable, measured investments to meet the workforce needs of the future, particularly for middle-skill jobs. This reauthorization signifies that the federal government is serious about investing in such innovative strategies to support the nation's workforce. We look forward to continuing to share what we've learned about "what works" as the Administration moves its job-driven training agenda forward.
Contact:
Guy Loudon
Executive Director
Jane Addams Resource Corporation
guyl@jane-addams.org
“
